No More Tomorrows
by Bellantara
Summary: Keith learns he is out of time. Warning: Character death, illness.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: All the usual disclaimers apply. Thank you to Harmony Winters and diahard for beta reading and medical advice.

Note: I've revised this from what I first posted, because the cadets weren't working for me, and I decided I didn't like them in this fic. So, the boys are much younger.

Keith sat in Gorma's treatment room, devoutly wishing he was anywhere else. But, much as he hated medical treatment, he was religious about his checkups, and had been for seven years, ever since his diagnosis with HIV at sixteen. So, here he was, just as he was every six months. This time was different, though. A persistent cough and shortness of breath nagged him, along with headaches and fatigue that couldn't be chalked up to the pressures of commanding the Voltron Force. Lance went ballistic when he found out, and insisted that Keith have his checkup early.

Gorma walked in the room with Keith's current medical records in his hands, face expressionless."So, what can you tell me, Doctor? Do we need to change my meds again?" Gorma didn't rise to the challenge, and for the first time, Keith felt worried. "Doctor?"

Gorma looked up at him. "Captain, there's no way to sugarcoat this. I have to tell you that you have developed acquired immunity deficiency syndrome."

It was news Keith had expected since he was sixteen, but it still jarred him. "So soon? But the drugs were supposed to give me more time!"

Gorma sighed. "You've been HIV positive for seven years, Captain. The drugs only work for so long. To be honest, with the stress you are under and the demands you place on your body, I am surprised you haven't developed AIDS before."

Keith turned white. Slowly he raised his COM, hand shaking. "Lance, you busy? I-I need you in MedTech. Please."

"On my way." Five minutes later, Lance sprinted into the room. "Keith, what's wrong?"

Keith took his lover's hand. "L-Lance, I have AIDS."

Lance blanched. "No. You've been so careful! Are they sure?"

Keith nodded, turning his attention to Gorma, his commander mode back in full effect. "So, what treatment options are we looking at? How long am I going to be out of action?"

Gorma took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. "Keith." The captain's head jerked up at Gorma's unprecedented use of his first name. "Given your allergies and tolerances, there _are_ no drugs you can take at this point."

Keith blinked. "So, what then? Isn't there anything else?" Gorma shook his head, and Keith clutched Lance's hand. "I'm going to die, aren't I? How long?"

"As best I can tell, no more than six months. I am truly sorry, Keith. The Goddess knows you deserve better." Gorma turned and walked out of the room before he could lose his professional composure.

Keith and Lance wandered out of MedTech numbly, finding their way to their room on autopilot. Once inside, Keith stared at Lance helplessly. "I'm going to die, Lance. All the fighting, all the close calls, and I'm going to die because some _bastard_ decided he had to have me!" He growled and put his fist through the closest wall. "It just isn't right."

Lance folded Keith in his arms and kissed the top of his head, fighting back his own tears. "I know, I know." He felt Keith's slender body shake, and held his lover even tighter. "It's OK, I'm here."

Keith cried for a few minutes, and then looked up at Lance. "We need to tell the team. Tonight. And Sven too."

Lance nodded, swallowing hard. "Sure."

"We have to start planning. Do you think any of the new Arusian pilots are ready to take your place in Red?"

"Full time?" Lance shook his head. "Not a chance, not the way Lotor's kicked things up. We need Sven, if he'll come." He stopped. "Wait. Why take _my_ place?"

"Because I'm going to be turning Black over to you. And command of the Force." Keith looked haunted. "I think it'll be better that way, get everybody used to you running things while I'm still here to help you if you need it."

"Sounds like you've given up already." Lance stepped back and folded his arms, glaring at Keith. "Or don't you _want_to live? To stay with me?"

"You know I do." Keith's voice cracked uncharacteristically. "And I haven't given up; I'm going to fight as long as I can. But, Lance, I also have to prepare for the inevitable. We both do." Keith looked up at Lance, his expression as vulnerable as Lance ever saw it. "I don't know why you didn't walk out after the rape, after I found out Gates gave me HIV," he said, so softly Lance barely heard him. "I wasn't worth the risk, and my one regret in all of this is that I gave _you_this death sentence too."

Lance took Keith back into his arms and held him tight. "I wouldn't change anything. I love you, Keith Kogane, as much now as I did at sixteen. I knew what that would mean; I'm not the idiot flyboy people think I am. If I wanted to live and grow old, I would've been an accountant like my mother wanted. You ARE worth the risk, to me. I'll back you up, whatever you want and need to do, koibito." Lance led Keith out of the room. "Come on, it's a beautiful day and I want to spend it outside."

After dinner, Keith and Lance quietly caught each of their teammates, asking them to meet in the observation lounge. Fifteen minutes later, a very puzzled Hunk, Pidge, and Allura sat facing Keith.

He looked at each of them in turn. His brothers, his sister—the love of his life sitting next to him. He chose his words carefully, aware that his news would devastate all of them. "You all know I was raped at the Academy, and that I'm HIV positive because of it." He took a deep breath, and felt Lance squeeze his hand reassuringly. "For the most part, I've been OK; I haven't been very sick, and medication kept it under control. But for the last three months I've been feeling worse; I chalked it up to stress. Lance forced me to MedTech for my checkup three months early." The famous Kogane control slipped; he felt the tears start down his cheeks. "Guys, I—I have AIDS. And I'm dying from it."

Allura gasped. "Oh Goddess, Keith! Are they sure? It seems so soon!" Tears stood in her blue eyes.

Pidge looked baffled. "But-you shouldn't be dying! AIDS is completely treatable!"

"Not always," Keith countered softly. "And not at all if you are allergic to the drugs. Which I am."

Allura wiped her tears away. "H-how long does the doctor feel you have left?"

Keith sighed. "Gorma says six months at the most. I'm turning my command of the Force, and Black, over to Lance, effective immediately. I want to fly as long as I can, and I can fly longer if I'm not stressing over command."

Allura came over and sat beside him, taking his free hand. "Whatever you need, you let me know. We'll take care of you, Keith."

Keith carefully kissed her cheek. "I know you will. Thank you, Princess."

"What are your plans for now?" Hunk asked.

"Lance and I are going to Pollux tomorrow to tell Sven; I want to tell him in person, and want him here, if possible, to fill in when I can't fly anymore." Keith coughed. They talked for a little while longer, then everyone said their goodnights and wandered out of the room. Keith took Lance's hand. "Walk with me outside?" Lance nodded and followed him into the garden. "Lance, I have to know, be honest with me." Keith stopped and turned to look Lance in the eyes. "Are you angry with me for this? For getting you sick?"

"Hell no! What gives you that idea?" Lance put his hands on Keith's shoulders. "It wasn't your fault you got sick, and you've given me the choice to walk away since day one. The only thing I'm mad about is that they can't do anything, and you're. . ." He couldn't finish the sentence. "I don't want to live without you, Keith. I don't know if I can."

Keith put his arms around Lance. "You can, and you will. For me. Come on, let's go to bed. We need to make an early start tomorrow."

After Keith was asleep, Lance slipped out of bed, making his way to Control with all the stealth his special forces training had given him. With an excuse to the soldier on duty of making a patrol, he slipped into the number two chute and was soon streaking through the night sky in Red. As he flew, the tears he'd stifled all afternoon finally burst free. He quickly landed on the nearest ridge, and scrambled out to stand on Red's nose. Only then did he give way to his grief and fear, falling to his knees and sobbing. "It's not fair!" he screamed. "I'm not ready to lose him yet, damnit!" He knelt there for what seemed like hours, alternately sobbing and raging. Finally, he took a shuddering breath, wiped his face with a gloved hand, and headed back to sleep the rest of the night in Keith's arms.

Early the next morning, Keith and Lance left in Black for Pollux. Sven waited for them in the castle courtyard when they landed. "Vell, aren't you two sights for sore eyes!" The Norwegian clapped them both on the back. "You should haf told us you vere coming; Romelle is on de oder side of de planet vith Bandor. She vill be disappointed she missed you."

"Good to see you too, Sven. We're sorry we missed her." Lance spoke. "I'm afraid this isn't a social visit though; we've got to talk business with you."

Sven blinked. "Sure, sure, come on in. I'll have de cook send some coffee and pastries to my study." Fifteen minutes later, they were settled in his study, with large cups of coffee, and, in Keith's case, tea. "Now, vhat is so important dat you come all de vay here vith no notice?"

Keith set his cup down and took a deep breath. "Sven, I have AIDS, and it can't be treated. According to Dr. Gorma, I might live six months. If I'm lucky."

"_Gud__har__nåde_. Is he sure? I tought you vould haf more time." Keith nodded, and Sven shook his head. "Vhat do you need from me?"

"Come fly Red, when I can't. Lance is already flying Black and commanding the Force, but I want to fly as long as I can." Keith looked at Sven pleadingly. "Can you, will you do that for me?"

"I vill," Sven said firmly. "Just let me know vhen you vant me, and I vill be dere. I promise you dat, no matter vhat is going on here."

They sat in comfortable silence, drinking their coffee and tea, until an apologetic Sven was called to a council meeting. After he left, Lance and Keith wandered the castle garden, holding hands. At a junction, Lance stopped and turned to face Keith, swallowing hard. "This wasn't how I planned to do this, but—Keith, I love you. Marry me? Please?"

Keith felt startled at first, but shook his head. "No. I won't marry you just to leave you alone, Lance."

"You're going to leave me alone anyway," Lance countered. "Least you could do is leave me with your name." That hit a nerve, and Lance quickly pressed his advantage. "Keith, please. What time we have left, let me spend it as your husband. Please?"

Keith hesitated for a few minutes, but finally gave in; he never could resist Lance begging, and he had planned to propose himself before he learned how sick he was. "All right." He leaned over and kissed Lance. "To be honest, there's nothing I'd like better. We should do it soon, though; I want to be strong enough to stand at your side."

Lance nodded. "We'll talk to Allura when we get back. And speaking of which. . ." He led Keith back into the castle, where they found Sven and said their goodbyes. He promised to come to the wedding if possible, then walked them to Black and watched while they left.

Lance sighed, flexing his hands on Black's controls as they flew towards Arus. "You know we need to tell Nanny and Coran about this too."

"I know." Keith leaned forward to massage his partner's tense shoulders. "I can't imagine how they're going to react, given how they reacted to us telling them we were both gay AND HIV positive."

Lance shook his head, wincing at the memory. Nanny had wanted to isolate them from the rest of the Castle, and Allura in particular. It had taken a great deal of talking, and bringing in Dr. Gorma, to convince her that there was little risk to anyone, so long as the proper precautions were taken when either of them was ill or injured. "It ain't gonna be pretty, koibito. Nanny's going to have hysterics again."

"She can get over it." Keith moved to Lance's side, where the new commander could see his grim expression. "I didn't ask to die, neither did you; I'm _not_going to let her change how we live what time we have left."

As soon as they got back to Arus, they asked the royal advisor and governess to meet them in the rec room. Once they were settled, Keith and Lance stood in front of them. "You know that Lance and I are both sick," Keith began, "but there has been a new development. I met with Dr. Gorma yesterday; my illness has become terminal. He estimates that I have about six months to live."

Coran was wide-eyed; Nanny's expression was unreadable. "Is he sure, Captain?" Coran finally asked. "Is there nothing that can be done?"

"Unfortunately, no." Keith started to pace. "Lance will be taking over command of the Force effective immediately; I will fly Red as long as I can, and Sven will come to take my place when that is no longer an option."

Nanny's mouth worked, but no sound came out; Lance geared up for whatever nastiness she came up with.

She shocked him. "I'm so sorry, Captain," she said softly, tears coming to her eyes. "What can we do to help you?"

Keith sighed. "We'll have to be even more careful about keeping sick people away from me and Lance; a cold could kill me at this point, and if Lance gets it, I will. Other than that. . ." he shrugged. "Nothing's really going to change for a while. Please, keep this to yourselves for now. I don't want to be treated like I'm made out of crystal, and I don't want every maid in the castle crying every time I walk by."

"We're still the same people," Lance said softly. "One of us has just gotten a little sicker. Don't treat us any differently."

"As you wish, Captain, Commander." Coran stood up and extended his hand to Keith. "I am certain Her Highness has already told you this, but—whatever you need, whatever we can do, name it. Arus will take care of you both."

Keith shook Coran's hand. "I know you will. Thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

Keith was clearly up to something. In the week since Gorma had diagnosed him with AIDS, Lance had caught him hurriedly putting away papers and switching computer screens whenever Lance came in. This evening, Lance had interrupted a COM conversation with Sven, and suddenly realized just what his partner was planning.

"Are you out of your mind?" he exploded. "You're planning to go to Doom, by yourself, and assassinate Lotor and Zarkon? What, are you determined to be killed instead of dying? I thought _I_ was the reckless one in this relationship!"

Keith was pale, but determined in the face of Lance's anger. "I have to do this. I know how to get in and out without being detected, and Sven's intelligence says that Haggar will be away for the next few weeks for some sort of ritual recharging. Don't you see? I'm dying anyway, and if I can take those bastards with me, so much the better."

Lance turned away from him. "This isn't like you, Kogane. Going to Doom alone, undetected or not, is suicide! You know that! I'm going with you, to watch your back."

"No." Keith grabbed Lance's shoulder and spun him around. "I can't risk losing you! If I fail, the team will need you to fight!"

"If you fail," Lance repeated quietly, "I won't be here anyway. Do you honestly think I can live without you?"

Keith looked at him, noticing the tears in the green eyes. "Lance," he said softly. "I didn't mean to hurt you. But I can do this alone." Secretly, though, he had to admit that he needed Lance's help, badly, and hadn't wanted to ask for it. Letting Lance catch him talking to Sven had been the closest he could come to asking.

Lance glared at him. "That's not how the Stalkers trained us, and you know it."

Keith froze at the reminder of their Special Ops days. He, Lance, and Sven had been the deadliest members of the Garrison's elite special forces unit prior to being recruited for the Voltron Force. He knew very well that what he was planning went against everything they had ever been taught. But to risk Lance's life, as well as his own. . . "You're right, Wildcat," he finally said, using Lance's Stalker codename. "I don't like it, but I need you with me. Let me show you the plans. . ."

Three days later, the two of them, dressed head to toe in black, were sliding across Doom, being the Shadow Stalkers they once were. Sven's intelligence was dead on, and they gained access to the Castle through an unguarded ventilation shaft. Quietly they made their way through the darkened Castle, taking out the few guards they encountered with little resistance. At a junction, Keith paused and consulted the map he had downloaded to his COM. "Zarkon's quarters are that way. . ." he pointed, "and Lotor's are that way. Lotor is _mine,_" he added grimly.

Lance nodded. "Meet back here when we're done." He hesitated, then leaned over and kissed Keith's cheek before vanishing into the darkness. Keith watched after him for a minute, then turned and headed for his own target.

He slid into Lotor's chambers, silent as the shadows. Two quick slashes of his knife, and Lotor's bodyguards sagged into whatever afterlife awaited Drules. In the inner chamber, the Crown Prince of Doom lay on his back, mouth open, snoring in a drunken stupor. Keith, despite the risk, hesitated for a few minutes. After all their fights, all the confrontations, he hated for things to end so dishonorably. It went against everything he believed in, everything he had been taught as a Japanese child. "No choice, Kogane," he told himself. "You're out of time, and there's no one on the team can take him on like you can. There are times when honor must yield to expediency." He stepped behind the head of the bed, leaning over Lotor with his knife at the ready. A minute later, the evil prince was struggling to breathe his last through a throat that wasn't there anymore. Keith watched him from the shadows at the door, then tossed a small explosive onto the bed, ensuring there would be nothing for Haggar to resurrect.

Lance hadn't had any hesitations. His knife had cut so deeply into Zarkon's throat that he felt the blade scrape the king's vertebrae, and he had been all but gleeful in tossing his own explosives and running from the room. Halfway to his rendezvous with Keith, he ran into a troop of guards running to investigate the explosions. The guards gaped at him for a minute, then opened fire. He ducked behind a column, returning fire with one hand and grabbing his COM with the other. "Keith! Get your ass down here! I've got lots of bald, ugly company!" He screamed when one of the guards took out his right shoulder with a lucky shot.

Keith was running at Lance's call; the scream drove him into a sprint. He found Lance propped against a column, firing at guards with his left hand, right hanging uselessly at his side. A cold fury came over him at the sight, and the remaining guards quickly fell victim to his blaster, having never seen him behind them. "LANCE!" He dropped to his knees at his lover's side, fingers going to investigate the wound in his shoulder.

Lance stopped him. "Check it on the ship," he said through gritted teeth, forcing himself to his feet. "We gotta get the fuck out of here before we have more company."

Keith nodded. "Can you walk?"

Lance managed a grin. "To get off Doom? Try and keep up with me!" Brave words, and he meant them, but he only took a few steps before he stumbled. Keith draped his uninjured arm over a shoulder, and all but carried him back to their ship. Lance was nearly unconscious from the pain and blood loss by the time they got there. Keith hastily got the ship airborne, set the autopilot, and turned to see about Lance.

He cut Lance's shirt away to find a gaping wound in his shoulder, pouring blood down his chest. Swearing softly, he reached overhead for the medical kit, working frantically to stop the bleeding. "Gorma's. . . .gonna be pissed," Lance said groggily. "Hates the HIV protocols."

"He'll get over it." Keith finished packing the wound with gauze and took Lance's hand. "How'd this happen? Not like you to stick something out to get shot."

Lance glowered at him, fighting pain and the dizziness of blood loss. "So I'm. . . rusty. Bite me, Kogane." He squeezed Keith's hand as the pain spiked, then fell into the darkness that opened beneath him. Keith didn't move from his side until he had to land the ship and call for MedTech to meet them.

Allura, Pidge, Hunk, and Sven were waiting when Keith wandered into the MedTech waiting room, oblivious to the blood on his hands and clothes. Before anyone could say anything, Sven took charge of him, forcing his commander to his room for a shower and change of clothes. When they got back, Allura quickly got in Keith's face.

"Would you like to tell us exactly HOW this happened?" her voice was coldly furious, and lightning flashed from the blue eyes.

Keith sighed miserably. "I decided when I was diagnosed that I would go to Doom and take out Zarkon and Lotor. Lance found out what I was planning, made me take him with me for backup. Everything went according to plan; Zarkon and Lotor are dead. But the guards responded quicker than we anticipated, and Lance told me one of them got in a lucky shot because he was rusty. It's been a long time since we were Shadow Stalkers."

"Shadow Stalkers?" Pidge repeated. "I've heard of those guys; they're major bad news. When were you and Lance trained by them?"

"More den trained, and not just Keit and Lance," Sven said quietly. "De tree of us vere de deadliest team in de unit before ve vere recruited for de Voltron Force."

A light seemed to come on over Hunk's head. "Who were you three?"

"Ninja, Wildcat, and Viking," Keith answered. "I can't speak for Lance and Sven, but I was happy to leave that part of my life behind until now."

Any further discussion was interrupted by Dr. Gorma clearing his throat at the waiting room door. "Commander McClain is resting comfortably," he began. "He lost a great deal of blood, but should make a full recovery. Our main concern now will be watching for infection and pneumonia. I know I don't have to tell you how serious a threat that is, Captain."

Keith shook his head numbly. "When can I see him?"

"I will have a nurse come for you once he is settled in ICU." The doctor turned and left, leaving Keith to face his teammates.

Allura had forgotten her anger at Keith. "What's so bad about pneumonia? It's not winter yet."

"Doesn't have to be." Keith paced the room. "Pneumonia is always around, and because Lance and I don't have normal immune systems anymore, it can easily kill us. Especially now, when Lance is hurt and weaker than normal." A nurse appeared at the door then, and led Keith back to Lance's ICU bed, pausing on the way for both of them to scrub up and don masks and gloves.

Lance lay still, face white and eyes closed. His right shoulder was heavily bandaged, and an IV fed what Keith assumed were pain medications and antibiotics into his left arm. Keith sat at the left side of the bed and took Lance's hand into his own. "I'm here, Lance," he said softly. "You've got to fight and get better."

Lance stirred; his eyes flickered once, then opened. "Hey there," he whispered groggily, squeezing Keith's hand.

"Hey yourself." Keith leaned over and kissed him through the surgical mask. "How you feeling?"

"Not bad." Lance gave him a loopy grin, then twitched his IV line. "Dunno what Gorma's got in there, but it's some damn good stuff."

Keith grinned back. "You'll be good as new in no time flat. Then we get to plan what to do with ourselves now that Doom isn't a threat anymore."

"Like that idea. . . ." Lance's eyes drifted shut as he faded back to sleep; Keith sat and watched over him, alert for any changes.

Back in the waiting room, Sven was being confronted by his teammates. "Why didn't you ever say anything about being Shadow Stalkers?" Hunk demanded.

"To begin vith, ve couldn't," Sven answered calmly. "You know de Shadow Stalkers are classified; if Lance hadn't gotten hurt doing dis, you still vouldn't know anyting."

Allura was talking to Pidge in the corner, trying to sort things out. "What are these 'Shadow Stalkers'?" she asked.

Pidge shrugged. "Nobody knows much about them, Princess. They're the Garrison's elite special forces. People DO know that they're deadly, and that three of them were deadlier than most." He swallowed. "And, now, it seems, those three are our teammates."

"And ve REALLY don't vant you to change how you look at us," Sven said patiently. "Ve are still de same people ve haf alvays been."

Allura nodded absently. "Sven? What Keith said about Zarkon and Lotor being dead; do you think they really-"

"If Keit said dey are dead, den dey are dead, Princess. But let me check wit my contact on Doom." Sven pulled his COM from his pocket and sent a quick coded message. Five minutes later, the unit beeped with a reply. "Ja, it's confirmed. Zarkon and Lotor are dead, Castle Doom is in ruins. Dey did it; de var is over." He smiled at the other three.

Allura looked out the window. "I just hope Keith and Lance have time to enjoy the peace they've bought."

Keith spent the night at Lance's bedside as his partner drifted between sleeping and waking. Shortly after midnight, he began to hear a rattle in Lance's breathing, and summoned Gorma. The doctor confirmed his fears: despite all the precautions, all the antibiotics, Lance had developed pneumonia.


	3. Chapter 3

Warning: Much angst and character death ahead.

Three days later, Gorma had stolen a moment to brood over Lance's test results. The commander's pneumonia raged unchecked by the antibiotics, and with the added stress of his injury, his compromised immune system simply couldn't fight it off. It was going to kill him. Losing patients hurt; to lose a patient as young as Lance, no matter how expected, was agony. Briefly he wondered how Keith would take the news. Despite his own illness, he remained at Lance's side, humbling Gorma with the strength of his love for the other man. Gorma knew he should have banned Keith from Lance's side, that Keith could very easily contract pneumonia himself, but he couldn't deny them the comfort of each other. He shook his head; such thoughts had no place in his profession. Leaving his office, he walked the few steps to Lance's room to give the couple the news, stopping to put on the mandatory gloves and mask that their conditions demanded.

He realized when he saw Keith sitting on Lance's bed, holding his hand, that they already knew. The resignation on both faces made it all too clear. "How do you two manage to know bad news before I can ever tell you?" Gorma asked with a sigh.

Lance shrugged and pulled his oxygen mask away. "Not hard . . . to figure. Drugs. . . . not working." He doubled over in a coughing fit; Keith replaced the mask and supported him for as long as the coughing went on. When it subsided, Lance looked up at Gorma. "How long?"

"Days, I'm afraid. I'm sorry, Commander, Captain. I wish I could do more."

"Nothing for you to be sorry about," Keith sighed. "We knew this would happen eventually. Just. . . not so soon."

"I understand, Captain." Gorma stepped closer to the bed, to check the monitor readings. "Do you want me to tell the Princess?"

"No. That's. . . for us." Lance put his hand on Keith's shoulder. "Go get them, Keith. . . Should tell them. . .all together." Keith nodded and squeezed Lance's hand on his shoulder, then stood and left the room. Lance watched him go, and then turned his attention to Gorma. "Sit . . .down, Doc. Want to. . . talk to you."

Puzzled, Gorma took a seat in Keith's abandoned chair. Lance took a breath, then pulled his oxygen mask down. "My grandfather . . . died when I . . . was twelve," he said. "He lingered . . . for a week, in a . . . coma. . . Hardest thing I've ever . . . watched." He coughed harshly, then continued, "I don't . . . want that. Don't want. . . Keith . . . the team . . . to go through that."

"What are you saying, Commander?" Gorma knew, but he wanted to hear it from Lance anyway.

Lance locked gazes with the doctor. "I'm saying . . . don't let me . . . linger. Let me say . . . goodbyes, then . . . give me something . . . stop my heart. I don't know . . . you do. All my. . .life . . . about speed. Why die . . . slow?" He chuckled, only to have it turn into another coughing fit. Gorma reached for the oxygen mask, but Lance pushed his hand away and got it himself. After a few deep breaths, he asked softly, "Can you . . . do that . . . for me?"

The doctor opened his mouth, about to say no automatically, when he got a good look at the expression on Lance's face. A scared, vulnerable boy faced him, with no trace of the cocky pilot of Red Lion. All at once it hit Gorma how very young they all were: the Captain had just turned 23; Lance himself was barely 22. And he'd already seen his last birthday. Abruptly he made up his mind. "It will be my privilege, Commander. Let me know when you are ready." Lance nodded, and Gorma got to his feet and walked out.

A minute later, Keith stuck his head back in. "They're here, koibito. How do you want to do this?"

Lance thought for a minute. "Tell them. . . all at once. Then. . .want to talk. . . to each alone."

Keith vanished from the doorway; a second later, the entire team, including a very pale Sven, walked into the room. Allura made a beeline for Lance, sitting on the edge of his bed and taking his hand. He squeezed hers gently, and then looked around at his family, trying to come up with the right words to say to them. Finally, he decided to just lay everything out, and be his usual blunt self. He took a slow breath and laid the oxygen mask aside again. "Gorma's drugs. . . aren't touching. . . this crap," he rasped, "and between. . . my shoulder. . . and my. . . fucked up. . . immune system. . . can't fight it. . .myself." He grabbed the oxygen mask and sucked in several shallow breaths, fighting off a coughing fit.

Sven caught his meaning first. "_Gud__i__himmeln,_" he breathed. "The pneumonia is killing you, isn't it?"

Lance nodded slowly, and Pidge's eyes went wide. "No—not both of you so soon—NO!" He ran from the room, tears streaming down his cheeks. Hunk threw an apologetic glance at Lance and went after their youngest teammate.

"Sometimes, we forget that Pidge is only fourteen," Keith said softly.

"Yeah," Lance sighed. "Go bring. . . them back. Please?" Keith nodded and kissed his cheek, then slipped out. Lance closed his eyes for a minute, then opened them to look at Allura. "Princess. . . let me. . . talk to. . . Sven a minute, OK?"

"I'll be right outside," she promised through her tears, and then stepped out of the room. Lance looked up at his Norwegian friend.

"Didn't think. . . you'd be here. Know. . . you hate. . . hospitals since. . . .Ebb." Lance managed a shadow of his old grin. He debated taking the oxygen mask off-it was very hard to talk through-but he was having enough trouble breathing _with_ it. Breathing without it seemed about as easy as lifting Red.

Sven pulled a chair up to the bedside, dark eyes troubled. "You needed me. Keit needed me. I could not let my own fears stop me from being here."

Lance coughed. "Counting. . .on you. Me, then Keith. . . . Not going . . . to be easy. . .for the team. Up to. . . you to. . . hold them. . .together." He took a deep breath. "You've been. . . the best. . . friend I ever. . . had. Saved my. ... life. Cost you. . . so much."

"Und gave me more dan I ever could haf dreamed," Sven answered. "I vould not haf Romelle if I had not been hurt. But, even wit out dat, I vould do it all over again. You are von of de best friends I have ever had, Lance McClain. It has been an honor to know you." He gripped Lance's hand tightly, pulled him into a fierce hug, and then quickly left. Lance swore the Norwegian was actually crying, and felt tears in his own eyes.

Allura peered around the door uncertainly. "Lance? Do you want me to come back later?"

He shook his head. "Don't. . . have a. .. .later, sweetheart. Come. . . sit with. . . me." As she perched on the edge of his bed, he reached for the gold cross he wore, hissing as his injured right shoulder flared with pain. "Help me. . . take this off?"

Allura removed it and put it in his hand, folding his fingers over it. Lance opened his fingers and let the cross dangle, watching the Celtic knotwork and emeralds sparkle in the light for a minute. "This has. . . been in my. . .family for. . . centuries," he said softly. "It's always. . . given to. . . the oldest son." He took Allura's hand with his bad one and put the cross in it. "Want. . . you to. . . have it now."

She gasped and shook her head. "Lance, no. This. . . this is special to you! It should stay in your family!"

"It is." Lance put his other hand over Allura's. "Allie. . . you're the. . . little sister. . . I never had. Wear this. . . remember me." He grinned. "Tell your. . . daughter about. . . the crazy pilot. . . you knew. . . from Earth." Tears welled up in Allura's eyes; he pulled her into an embrace and let her cry into his shoulder.

"Lance, I don't want to lose you. Or Keith."

"I know, sweetheart. . . We. . . love you. . .too. Always have. . .since you. . . first came.. .down those. . . stairs." Lance erupted into another coughing fit; this one felt as though his lungs were shredding. He couldn't get any air, and his vision started graying out. Blood flooded his mouth and spilled onto his sheets; Allura ran to the door and screamed for Gorma. The doctor rushed in and injected Lance with something that stopped the coughing.

"Nothing more we can do, Commander. You're getting the maximum amount of oxygen now," Gorma said quietly as he increased the flow of oxygen to Lance's mask.

Lance looked over at Allura. "Princess. . . find Keith. . . for me?"

She started out the door, but turned back immediately. "He's coming down the hall with Hunk and Pidge," she reported, then came to the bed and kissed Lance's cheek next to the oxygen mask. "Love you, Lance McClain." The tears began to flow again, and she quickly left the room.

Lance looked up at Gorma. "Are you. . .ready for. . . what we talked. . .about?"

Gorma pulled two syringes from his lab coat pocket. "This one will put you to sleep; this one will stop your heart. Are you certain about this, Commander?"

Lance nodded wearily. "I . . . can't fight . . . anymore. And . . . . don't want . . . to hang around . . .with a. . .machine doing. . . my breathing."

"Whenever you give the word, then." Gorma looked out the door. "Lieutenants Stoker and Garrett are on their way in; call when you need me." He walked down the hall to his office, closing the door behind him. As he did, Keith stood up from the visitor's chair.

"Lance asked you to help him die, didn't he?" A statement, not a question; Gorma could only nod, and Keith sighed. "I don't want you to do it."

"You cannot overrule him, Captain. Commander McClain is quite lucid and understands what he is doing."

Keith gave him a look that said he thought the doctor was being unduly dense. "I know that. He and I talked about this; I'd like to keep him with me as long as possible, but I don't want him to linger in pain. I meant, let me be the one to help him. Let me do this last thing for him, please."

Gorma hesitated. He didn't feel right handing over such a weighty responsibility, even to the commander of the Voltron Force. "Captain, I cannot allow that. You aren't properly trained, and there is no time to teach you."

Keith set his jaw. "I know how to give an injection. And between me being hurt and sick, and Lance being the same, I've been in MedTech enough that I've learned. Please, Dr. Gorma. I'm begging you. Let me give Lance those injections."

The Captain never begged, no matter how badly he was injured or how much pain he was in. Gorma looked up, startled, to find the same scared, vulnerable look on Keith's face that had been on Lance's earlier. "All right, Captain. Here." He handed over the syringes, one at a time. "This one first, it will put him to sleep, then this one will stop his heart." He paused. "I wish there was more I could do, Captain. For both of you."

Keith merely nodded and left Gorma's office, heading for Lance's room. He met Pidge and Hunk at the door; both were crying, and Hunk's arm enveloped Pidge's shoulders. They wordlessly embraced Keith for a moment, then turned and walked down the hall. Keith took a deep breath and walked back into Lance's room.

When he walked in, he realized just how short time was getting. Lance's eyes were closed, his face white, and he fought for every breath despite the oxygen. Keith swallowed hard and lay down next to him, needing to be close one last time. As he did, Lance's eyes opened. "Beloved," he whispered. "Wish . . . I could. . . stay longer."

"So do I." Keith put his arms around Lance, mindful of his injured shoulder and IV. "I love you, Lance. I have since I first saw you, and I always will."

"Love. . .you too." Lance pulled the oxygen mask aside and kissed Keith. "Asked. . . Gorma. . ."

"I know. I talked him into letting me do it for you." Keith reached into his pocket and pulled the two syringes out. "Are you sure? Is it time?"

Lance nodded. "Don't. . . grieve me. . . too long, Keith. Be. . .waiting for you." He wrapped his arms around Keith, holding him tightly for a moment.

Keith held him just as tightly, tears streaming down his face. "I'll be right behind you, my love. I can't live without you either." He kissed Lance one last time, then got up. As Lance watched, he injected the contents of the first syringe into a vein in Lance's left arm, then sat and held Lance's hand while it took effect. When Lance's hand went limp in his, he injected the second syringe with shaking hands. Minutes later, the monitor's shrill alarm and Keith's own sobs announced that Lance McClain was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: "elskede" means beloved; "Min elskede venn" is my beloved friend.

The morning of Lance's funeral dawned clear and bright. As Sven went out for his morning run, he felt a chill in the air unlike any he had felt since leaving Norway so many years ago. "Lance must be laughing his head off," he thought wryly. "Much as he hated the cold, and his day is freezing." He ran past the cathedral, and his heart twisted at the sight of the people of Arus, already lined up to pay their respects to Lance. "Min gud, how did we not know dey loved us so very much?" He couldn't take it anymore, and abruptly returned to the castle and his room. Silently he slipped back into bed, nestling into Romelle's warmth. "Elskede," he murmured, burying his face in her blonde hair.

She woke up and took him in her arms. "It's going to be an awful day," she whispered. "Poor Lance, I never expected him to be gone so soon."

"I vent by de catedral on my run. People are already lining up to say goodbye to him." Sven shifted so he could look into Romelle's eyes. "He vould not like such a fuss. He vas alvays de first to say he vas just a pilot."

"None of you are 'just pilots'," Romelle pointed out. "You're heroes in this galaxy, and especially on Pollux and here on Arus. Like it or not, any time something major happens with one of you, there's going to be 'such a fuss'." She kissed him gently. "You'd better get moving; aren't you in charge of Keith today?"

"Ja, I am," he sighed. "Und, I tink, I am pretty much de Commander of de Voltron Force for de duration." He got out of bed and headed for the shower, mind going back to the call he had gotten two days earlier. . .

He woke up to the beeping of his COM, having barely gotten to sleep. After a bit of fumbling, he managed to get it on. "Ja, Holgersson."

"This is Dr. Gorma, Commander. I apologize for waking you, but I need your assistance with the Captain."

Sven shook his head to clear the cobwebs. "On my vay."

Gorma met him at the door of MedTech. "Captain Kogane refuses to leave Commander McClain's body, and has already injured two of my orderlies who tried to remove him. You are my last hope."

Sven sighed. "I vill do my best, but understand dat I vill not hurt him." Gorma nodded, and stood aside to allow him to enter Lance's room. Keith sat as Sven had last seen him, holding Lance's hand with his face buried in Lance's shoulder. "Gud i himmeln, I knew ve should not haf left you," Sven whispered, then crossed the room to put his hand on Keith's shoulder. "Keit, min elskede venn, you haf to let him go now. You need your rest."

Keith didn't budge. "They will take him from me, and hurt him. I won't abandon him to that."

"He's not here anymore, Keit; you know dat. Let Gorma's people do what dey need to wit his body." Sven pulled Keith to his feet, bracing for resistance that, surprisingly, never came. Instead, Keith all but collapsed into his arms; Sven was alarmed. "Keit? Are you all right? Should I get Gorma?"

"No. He can't do anything for me." Keith twisted away from Sven to lean over Lance once more, wiping tears. "Goodbye, my love. I'll see you soon." He kissed Lance's cold lips, then turned to Sven. "Please, I don't want to go back to our room-I can't, not without him."

"You cannot stay here, Keit. I vill go vit you and stay for a vhile. You need to get some rest, or you vill be sicker dan you are." Sven walked beside Keith out of MedTech, carefully watching his friend. Keith was pale and had a slight tremor in his hands, and couldn't quite hold back his tears. Sven warned the guards and maids they passed with a glower, and they got to Keith's room without talking to anyone.

When the door opened, Keith gasped in pain; Sven silently recited every curse he knew at his own stupidity. Thrown across the bed, gleaming dully in the light from the hall, was Lance's battered leather jacket. Keith picked it up gently, then curled up on the bed, jacket cradled to his chest, and let out an unearthly wail. Sven sat on the bed next to him, but Keith stared straight ahead, giving no indication he knew Sven was even there. . . .

The shower going cold pulled Sven back to the present, and he toweled off with a sigh. Since that night, no one had been able to get any response out of Keith. The Force took turns sitting with him, afraid of what he might do to himself, but he just lay on the bed with the jacket, staring into space. Sven and Hunk had bathed him and changed his clothes; fortunately he ate and drank whatever was held to his lips. Keith hadn't acknowledged or even fought the treatment. "He is villing himself to follow Lance," Sven whispered with a shiver.

Romelle came in the bathroom as he was shaving. "I'll come braid Keith's hair, if you like," she volunteered, and Sven nodded. Keith had let his hair grow because Lance loved it long, and wore it in a braid past his shoulders when in uniform.

"I vas going to ask you if you vould; tank you." Sven kissed her. "Come to deir room in about an hour."

Romelle watched him for a minute. "What's going to happen to Keith?" she finally asked. "How long can he stay like this?"

Sven sighed heavily. "It doesn't matter how long, elske. He died wit Lance, he just has to get his body to quit. And he vill; if he is still vit us tree days from now, I vill be de most surprised man on Arus." He left the bathroom and pulled on jeans and a worn Garrison t-shirt. "See you in a little vhile," he called over Romelle's shower, then walked out.

Gorma walked up to Keith's door just as Sven did. "May I have a word privately, Commander?"

"Of course." Sven led the doctor into an unused room, then leaned against the wall, arms folded. "Vhat is on your mind, doctor?"

"i do not want the Captain to attend the Commander's memorial service; his health is far too precarious at this point."

Sven glowered. "He is dying anyvay; I vill not keep him from Lance's funeral."

Gorma glared back. "I thought you were the Captain's friend. How can you be so cavalier about his health? Do you want him to die?"

Sven closed his eyes and was silent for several minutes. When he spoke, his voice was deadly soft. "Keit is more dan my friend; like Lance he is my bruder. No, I do not vant him to die. I did not vant Lance to die eiter. But it is not about vhat I vant, or you vant." He opened his eyes and looked at the doctor. "If you do not know, I vill tell you; Keit is villing himself to follow Lance. I tink he is still here only for de funeral. Vhich I need to get him ready for. Excuse me." He pushed past a stunned Gorma and went back to Keith.

Keith lay on the bed, unmoving. Pidge looked up sadly as Sven walked in. "Still the same," he reported softly and got to his feet. "I've got to get ready; see you at breakfast." The teenager got to his feet and left with one last long look at Keith.

Sven went to Keith's closet and took his dress uniform from the back, hanging it on the door to check the medals and insignia.

"Lance is dead." The hoarse voice made Sven jump almost out of his skin; he spun to find Keith sitting up watching him.

"Ja, he is," Sven answered gently, coming and sitting beside Keith.

Keith's next words were so soft the Norwegian almost didn't hear them. "He said he didn't know if he could live without me. I know I can't live without him."

Sven shivered. "I know. I vould feel de same vay, if it vere my Romelle gone."

Keith looked at him for a long minute, and Sven realized just how much of his friend was already gone. "Then you know what I'm doing."

"I do." Ice blue eyes locked with black ones. "I don't like it, and I vish you vouldn't, but I understand, and I vill not stop you."

"Thank you for that." Keith put a hand on Sven's arm. "I assume you came in here to get me ready for the. . .for Lance?" At Sven's puzzled look, he continued, "I've been aware of everything the past two days; it just. . .hurt too much to come back. He told me I had to though; at least for today." Keith smiled sadly.

"Do you vant me to help you get ready?" Sven asked.

Keith shook his head. "I'm all right. You need to get ready yourself; much as Lance would agree with what you're wearing, you're pretty underdressed for the Prince Consort of Pollux and the Commander of the Voltron Force."

Sven laughed, then his brain caught up with what Keith had said. "You are de Commander of de Voltron Force."

"No. The team needs a strong leader; that's not me, not anymore." Keith put a hand on Sven's arm. "I know it's a lot to ask. . ."

"But you can count on me to do it," Sven said firmly. "You haf my vord, Keit."

Keith relaxed visibly; somewhere in the back of his mind, Sven realized that had been Keith's last worry: who would look after the team. "Thank you," he said softly. "Please, go get ready; we don't want to be late."

Sven nodded and left; Keith watched the door close behind him, then slumped over on the bed. "I can't do this," he whispered. "To go see you lying there, I can't, koibito."

"You can," a voice said softly in his mind. "You know it's not really me, and I'll be with you. I'm here to the end, beloved. I promise."

Keith felt a kiss brush against his hair, and nodded with new resolve. Slowly he got up and prepared himself for the hardest thing he would ever do.


	5. Chapter 5

Jeff, Hunk, Pidge, and Cliff stood outside the cathedral, waiting for Sven so they could carry Lance's casket inside for the memorial. Cliff was a little ways apart from the rest of the group, sharp eyes watching the castle for Sven's departure. Hunk and Pidge were dressed in the dark blue dress uniform Keith had designed for the Force, with stripes on the trousers in the colors of their respective lions; Jeff and Cliff gleamed in Garrison dress whites. "Can't believe this happened so fast," Jeff said softly, putting one hand on the casket. "Damn, not even 25. And if Keith doesn't follow right behind him, I'll be surprised as hell."

Pidge shivered. "I sat with Keith last night. He just lays there, holding Lance's jacket, staring into space. It's like he's already gone and his body just doesn't know it yet."

Cliff rejoined the group. "Royal carriage just left the castle," he reported. "Guess Sven's riding with the princesses."

Hunk nodded. "Hope he thought to have somebody stay with Keith," the big man said softly. The four pilots waited in silence as the carriage made its way down to the village and stopped in front of them. Sven jumped out, resplendent in the black dress uniform of the Polluxian armed forces, then turned to hand a black-clad Romelle out. Allura followed her, dressed in the same uniform as Hunk and Pidge, but with a long skirt. Sven then turned once more to the inside of the carriage, and the men's jaws dropped as he helped a pale, clearly fragile Keith step down. Keith said nothing, and looked at no one; he went directly to Jeff's place at the head of the casket and gently pushed him aside, stepping into his place. The other men exchanged mystified glances, then carried Lance into the cathedral so the service could start.

The funeral was everything a Hero of Arus could ask for-and nothing a simple pilot from Nebraska would have wanted. Marshal Graham sat in the front next to Keith and his team; the pews behind them were full of Garrison brass and assorted planetary dignitaries. Speech after speech was given praising Lance, by people who had never even seen him alive. During one particularly overblown speech, Jeff leaned over to Cliff. "I think we're at the wrong funeral; McClain would never have wanted all this!"

"I know, mate," Cliff sighed. "But he's Voltron Force, and Garrison's got to put on a show. They'll do the same when we cash in. And the one person with the right to object can't." He indicated Keith, sitting next to Allura with a vacant expression.

Jeff watched their friend for a minute. "Think we're going to be doing this again real soon, pal. Like Pidge said; he's gone and his body doesn't know it."

Hawkins turned to glare at the young commanders; they hastily returned their attention to the front as Princess Allura got up to speak. "Thank you, all of you, for your kind words. Lance McClain was indeed a hero to Arus; we shall not see his like again soon. But he was so much more." She paused and looked out over the packed cathedral, gaze lingering sadly on Keith. "When the Voltron Force first discussed training me as a backup pilot, Lance argued the loudest and longest against the idea. Yet when Sven was hurt and I HAD to be trained, Lance was the first to volunteer to teach me. He was harder on me than the other three put together, but he was also far more patient than I think anyone knew he was capable of being. We could always count on him to put any situation into perspective with a pointed comment, and he was always there to listen to any of us." Tears were flowing soundlessly down Keith's white cheeks; she pulled her damp gaze away from him and continued, "Lance was by no means perfect; he had a quick temper, and could be viciously sarcastic. But he was our brother, Keith's beloved, and much as Arus will miss him, we of the Voltron Force will miss him that much more."

She stepped down and the Archbishop of Arus came forward to give the final benediction. Before he could take more than two steps, Keith was on his feet. Sven put a cautious hand on his friend's arm; Keith shook it off almost absently and knelt beside Lance's open casket. Gently he covered Lance's folded hands with his own, then bowed his head over them, shoulders shaking with sobs. After a few minutes, Sven stood up to get him. As the Norwegian reached his friend, he heard Keith's tear-choked voice. "Come and get me, beloved. I'm ready." The shoulders straightened, Keith stood, and walked past Sven and out of the cathedral.

Sven froze for several minutes, then went after Keith. He got outside just in time to see Keith take off, riding one of the carriage horses bareback. The navigator swore in his native language and began to run, catching up to Keith just outside the rooms the commander had shared with Lance. "KEIT!"

Keith turned to face Sven, and the older man was struck again by how much his friend had changed in a short time. The pain and haunted look had vanished from his eyes, to be replaced with an indescribable peace. The care lines that had marked Keith's face were gone, and he seemed calmer and more balanced than Sven had ever known him to be. "He's here, Sven. I have to go now. Take care of the team." 

Sven embraced Keith fiercely. "Go vit God, min bruder. Ve love you and vill miss you bot."

Keith nodded and returned the embrace, then slowly walked into his room. As the door closed, Sven caught the strong scent of leather and wood smoke. He wiped away a tear and smiled, knowing that his brothers were once again together.


	6. Epilogue

Princess Allura woke up early on the morning of her 21st birthday and dressed quickly, then slipped through the castle and out to a quiet corner of the garden. There, away from prying eyes and well-meaning tourists, Keith and Lance were buried. She sat down between their graves, putting a hand on each one. "Hello, boys," she said softly. "It's my 21st birthday; do I look any older?" She laughed, then turned serious. "I wish you were here; I miss you all the time, but today most of all. I wonder what advice you would have for me, and I wish you were here to dance with me at the ball tonight. I'd rather dance with you two than a bunch of stiff-necked princes." She sighed and got to her feet, aware of the duties that called her.

"Good morning, Highness, happy birthday," Coran greeted Allura as she entered the dining room. "I have a letter here for you."

"A letter?" Allura was puzzled; most of her communications came by videolink. She took the letter from Coran and started to open it, then froze. The envelope was addressed in a flowing script she'd only seen a couple of times, but knew very well. "Coran? This is from _Keith?_"

"Yes, Highness. It was given to me on his death, with instructions to give it to you on your 21st birthday."

"I see. I will be in my room; please see to it that I am not disturbed." Allura turned and walked slowly from the dining room; out in the corridor, she ran for her room, heart pounding.

Once she was curled up on her bed, she carefully opened Keith's letter and sat back to read it:

_Hello angel, happy birthday. Lance and I wish we could be there, but that's not going to happen. So, we decided to sit down and write this letter to you, with all the things we'd want to tell you on your 21st birthday. You've come a long way from the little girl we saw on those stairs when we first came to Arus; you've grown into quite a woman, and we're both very proud of you._

Allura frowned at the next lines; they were in a different hand, shaky and almost impossible to read. Her breath caught; the handwriting was barely recognizable as Lance's, and she realized he had written the lines as he lay in MedTech, ill with the pneumonia that killed him. _Damn straight we're proud of you. We love you sweetheart. You're one hell of a woman._ She had to laugh; it was so typically Lance that she could hear his sarcastic drawl.

The letter resumed in Keith's script. _Lance insisted on writing that; his shoulder is hurting too much to write more, so I get scribe duties. He's right; you ARE one hell of a woman. You're strong and fearless, with a compassion like no other I've ever seen. And oh, what a fighter. I didn't want to teach you to fight, to fly_. _I hated the thought of taking the innocent girl you were and turning you into a warrior. That's why I fought so hard against training you in Blue, badly as we needed you. Lance talked to me one night, finally made me see that I wasn't turning an innocent girl into a warrior; I was giving the warrior you already were the tools you needed. You've come so far since then; Lance and I know you will be a great leader for the Force, and for Arus._

_Lance says to tell you he hopes you haven't been forced into marrying one of those idiot princes yet. I hope so too, Princess. I have yet to see one that's worthy of you. You deserve a partner who at least likes you for who you are, not someone who sees you first as a broodmare to give him sons and second as the path to the power that Voltron and Arus hold. I hope you don't let Nanny and Coran bully you into that kind of marriage; but, without me as True Champion and Lance as, well, Lance, to support you, I'm afraid you may not have a choice._

Allura stopped and wiped her tears, one hand going to the cross she had worn for almost four years. Keith's words about her marriage choices echoed her own thoughts; after his funeral, she had told Nanny and Coran that she wouldn't marry anyone that wasn't the kind of man she'd found in the Voltron Force, and to stop parading princes through the Castle. If that meant she never married, so be it. Unfortunately, they hadn't listened to her; she was to pick her consort from the princes at the ball that night.

She returned her attention to the letter. _It was our privilege to know you, and to teach you. We will always watch over you. We love you, Allura, always, no matter where we are. Remember us._ It was signed with Keith's kanji and a very shaky "Lance".

The princess folded the letter carefully and placed it in her keepsake box by her bed, knowing she would read and re-read it in the days and years to come. The tears started again as she thought of her departed friends. For her 18th birthday, Keith and Lance had defied Nanny to bring her breakfast in bed, along with wildflowers Keith had found while on patrol early that morning. She sighed; her 21st had nothing so special in store, she was sure. Hunk and Pidge meant well, but they just weren't as close to her as Keith and Lance had been.

She got off the bed and went to the closet, taking out the dress she was to wear to the ball that night. For once it wasn't what Lance had called "floofy princess pink"; she had had her seamstress make her a close-fitting sheath dress in a deep emerald green which brought out her eyes. "I still have to decide who gets the first dance," she said to herself, hating the idea that it would go to some prince she could barely tolerate.

"I think you promised that to one of us," a familiar voice said out of nowhere.

"Both of us, actually," another voice chimed in. Allura whirled to see Keith and Lance, translucent but unmistakable, standing next to her bed.

"Keith! Lance!" She ran to hug them, but stopped short. "What on Arus are you doing here?"

"Keeping our promise, sweetheart," Lance said softly. "We promised to dance with you on your 21st birthday, and we keep our promises."

Allura looked from one to the other, tears streaming down her face. "I never thought I'd see you again. I've missed you boys so much. . ."

The two ghosts solidified and took her in an embrace. "We miss you too, Princess," Keith told her. "That's why we had to come here today. We don't have a lot of time, though." He looked over at her music system; it came to life and a soft waltz began playing. Gently, Keith took her in his arms and danced around her sitting room with her. She carefully laid her head on his shoulder, soaking in the evergreen scent that was always Keith.

When the music ended, Lance claimed her for his own dance. She held onto him as she had to Keith, trying to memorize everything about him: the way his muscles moved under his uniform, the scent of leather that clung to him even though his jacket hung in her own closet.

All too soon, the song ended, and Lance stepped away from her regretfully, still holding her hand. "We have to go, Allura."

"But we DID bring you a birthday present." Keith held out a book that she recognized as one of the older volumes of Arusian law. "This is where the 'marry to become queen' foolishness is written."

Lance grinned wickedly. "Seems one little part of that has been forgotten though. You have to marry if you want to be queen before you're 21; after that, you can take the throne in your own right, husband or no husband. Have fun at the ball." He kissed her cheek, then took Keith's hand and vanished.

Allura sat on her bed, staring first at the spot where her friends had been, then at the book they had left, with a marker at what she assumed was the appropriate spot. Her grin turned as wicked as Lance's. This was going to be a very interesting night.


End file.
